Means for simultaneously writing a plurality of signatures or inscriptions.



,351. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. S. BRAND. MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY WRITING A PLURALITY 0F SIGNATURES OR 'INSGRIPTIONS. APPLICATION nunumzv, 1907.

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No. 863,351. PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

J. S. BRAND. MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY WRITING A PLUR-ALITY OF SIGNATURES OR INSGRIPTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED APR,27.1907. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. BRAND, OF FAIBHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM R. WOODWARD,

- OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY WRITING A PLURALITY OF SIGNATURES OR INSCRIPTIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 2'7, 1907. Serial No- 370,671.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. BRAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fairhaven, in the county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Simultaneously Writing a Plurality of Signatures or Inscriptions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements upon the type of machine set forth in the applications for patent filed by William R. Woodward, July 31st, 1905, Serial No. 271886, and November 3rd, 1906, Serial No. 341927, and the object of my invention is to improve the construction of the Woodward machine with a View to rendering the same more sensitive and responsive to the hand of the operator.

I have produced a duplicate writing machine with electro-magnetic means, under the control of a monitor device, for moving the writing members into writing position, and holding them in such position during the writing operation, so that less effort is required for operating the machine.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will first describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, and afterwards point out the novelty more particularly in the annexed claims.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional elevation of the main parts of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating a part of the controlling electric circuit, and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the entire electric circuit. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of a slight modification showing the use of a monitor writing member under the control of the monitor handle.

My improved machine is of the same general construction as the machines disclosed in the above named applications of William R. Woodward.

1 represents the bed plate or table for supporting the certificates of stock, bonds, checks or other documents which are to be signed or inscribed. This table may be mounted in any suitable manner for the convenient insertion and removal of the documents in proper posi tion for the operation of the writing members. The carriage consists preferably of a skeleton frame made up of a plurality of longitudinal hollow metal bars 10 (of which three are shown), which bars are rigidly connected together and braced at their ends by the transverse bars or plates 11 and 12, which latter are secured to the auxiliary bars 13 arranged below and parallel with the main bars 10 and connected with the main bars by the depending brackets or yokes 14. At each end of both of the transverse bars 11 and 12 (that is at each of the four corners of the carriage) I provide a suitable antifriction ball bearing 15, which bearings rest and operate upon the horizontal bearing plates 16 at the front and rear of The carriage is connected with the main frame or bed plate by the coupled pantographic links 35, 36, 37 and 38, one of each pair of said links being pivotally connected at 39 to the plates 16 of the main frame, and to the central longitudinal bar of the carriage through pivots 40 and 41. The pairs of links are further coupled by the long longitudinal links 42 and 43. The pantographic link connections between the main frame and carriage are practically the same as in the machine cov ered by the above named applications, excepting that in the present machine the link connections are ar- 7 O ranged below instead of above the carriage.

Each of the longitudinal bars 10 of the carriage has adjust-ably mounted upon it a plurality of journal boxes or brackets 45 in which are journaled a plurality of transverse rock shafts 50. Any desired number of these rock shafts 50 may be employed. By adjusting the brackets or journal boxes longitudinally upon the bars 10, the rock shafts 50 can be arranged in the desired longitudinal positions upon the carriage.

Each rock shaft 50 carries a plurality of pen grips 55, in which are mounted the fountain pens or other writing members 60. The pen grips are individually adjustable upon the rock shafts 50 so as to enable them to be adjusted to a position closer together or farther apart. Any desired number of writing members may be mounted upon each rock shaft, depending upon the number of inscriptions to be made at a single operation. The construction of the pen grips is not material to the present invention, but they may be constructed and arranged as set forth in either of the above named applications of Woodward.

Projecting up from each transverse rock shaft 50 is an adjustable rock arm 65 formed with a slotted upper end into which projects a lateral pin or stud 66 of a longitudinally movable controlling bar 75. The several rock arms 65 are arranged in the same longitudinal plane to properly engage the pins upon the controlling bar. At its rear end, the controlling bar is pivotally connected to the end of an armature lever which is pivoted at 101 to a post projecting up from a bridge 100 plate 102. This lever 100 carries an armature plate 103 supported in operative relation to an electromagnet 105 which is also mounted upon the bridge plate 102. The bridge plate 102 is suitably secured to the longitudinal bars 10 of the carriage. One terminal of the 105 electromagnetic circuit is electrically connected at 106 with the bridge plate which is in electrical connection with the skeleton frame of the carriage. The

other terminal 107 is suitably insulated from the frame of the carriage and passes through one of the longitudinal bars 10 of the carriage and terminates in a spring contact finger 110 as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. This insulated wire 107 may be mounted in a proper filling of insulation as shown in Fig. 3. A battery indicated at 115 in Fig. 4 of the drawings is included in the circuit at some suitable point to supply the necessary current for electrifying the magnet 105.

Hounted upon the forward end of the longitudinal carriage bar 10 through which the circuit wire 107 is extended, is a yoke 120 having the forwardly projecting fingers 121 and 122 which are perforated as shown to receive the vertically movable monitor pin 125. This pin 125 has a head 126 under which rests a leaf spring 127 secured to the yoke 120 by set screw 128. The spring 127 maintains the monitor pin 125 in its elevated position. Secured to the pin 125 beneath the finger 121 is a contact flange or collar 130 which rests normally directly above the contact finger 110 above referred to,

so that when the pin 125 is depressed the contacts 110 and 130 will be brought together to energize the electromagnet 105 for rocking the shafts carrying the pen grips and moving the pen grips into writing position.

135 is the monitor handle which is pivoted at 136 to the monitor pin 125, so as to move freely in a vertical direction upon the pin, the pin being 'lreely journaled vertically to allow the monitor handle to also move freely in a horizontal direction. The monitor pin 125 operates above a monitor writing surface 140 which is preferably a plate of glass. The signature or inscription that is being duplicated can be followed by watching the movements of the monitor pin 125, or if preferred an additional monitor writing member may be suitably mounted upon the pin 125 or the handle 135 in any suitable manner to accurately define the move ments of the monitor handle, such, for instance, as illustrated in Fig. 5. It will be observed that the monitor controlling device 125, 135, may be arranged upon the end of any one of the longitudinal bars of the carriage, it only being necessary to extend the insulating circuit wire 107 through the carriage bar upon which the monitor device is to be mounted. It can readily be seen that all of the longitudinal bars can be wired with the insulated wires so that by making the proper electrical connections and transferring the monitor device from one bar to another, the machine may be operated from any one of the bars.

The operation of the device will be clear from the above description. In writing a plurality of signatures or inscriptions, the operator takes hold of the monitor handle 135 and by pressing down slightly will make the electrical contact between parts 110 and 130, which electrifies the magnet 105 and causes it to throw all of the pens into writing position upon the documents or papers on the table or platform. The operator maintains the pin 125 in its depressed position and produces the plurality ,of signatures 0r inscriptions by the movements of the monitor handle 135.

What I claim is:

1. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage suitably supported to move in all directions parallel with the bed plate, a plurality of writing members mounted upon the carriage and movable toward and away from said bed plate, a monitor handle connected with the carriage for moving it over the bed plate, an electro-magnetic device mounted upon the carriage and operatively connected with the writing members, and contacts included in the circuit of said electro-magnetic device and operated by the monitor handle.

2. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage supported above and movable in all directions parallel with the bed plate, a plurality of rock shafts journaled upon said carriage, a plurality of writing members mounted upon said rock shafts and movable toward and away from said bed plate, a monitor handle connected with the carriage for moving it over-the bed plate, an electromagnetic device mounted upon the carriage and operatively connected with said rock shafts and contacts included in the circuit of said electro-magnetic device and operated by the monitor handle.

3. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage supported above and movable in all directions parallel with the bed plate, a plurality of .rock shafts journaled upon said carriage, a plurality of writing mem bcrs mounted upon said rock shafts and movable toward and away from said bed plate, a monitor handle connected with the carriage for moving it over the bed plate, an electro-magnctie device mounted upon the carriage and operatively connected with said rock shafts, and contacts mounted upon the carriage and included in the circuit of said electro-magnetic device, one of said contacts being connected with and operated by the monitor handle.

4. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage supported above and movable in all direo tions parallel with the bed plate, a plurality of writing members mounted upon the carriage and movable toward and away from said bed plate, a monitor 'handle, a vertically movable pin to which said handle is connected, an electro-magnet mounted upon the carriage, an armature operatively connected with the writing members, an electric circuit including said electro-magnet, and contacts included in said circuit arranged to be actuated by the vertical movement of said monitor controlled pin.

5. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage supported above and movable in all directions parallel with the bed plate, suitable controlling links connecting said carriage with said bed plate, a plurality of writing members mounted upon the carriage and movable toward and away from said bed plate, a vertically movable pin mounted upon said carriage, a monitor han dle connected with said pin, an electr'o-magnet mounted upon the carriage, an armature operatively connected with the writing members, an electric circuit including said electro-magnet, and contacts included in said circuit and arranged to be actuated by the vertical movement of said pin.

6. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage supported above and movable in all directions parallel with the bed plate, suitable controlling links connecting said carriage with said bed plate, a plurality of rock shafts journaled upon said carriag a plurality of writing members mounted upon said rock shafts and movable toward and away from said bed plate, a vertically movable monitor pin, an electric contact carried by said pin, an electro-magnet mounted upon the carriage, an armature operatively connected with said rock shafts, a second electric contact upon the carriage, an electric cir cuit including said electro-magnet and contacts, and a monitor handle pivotally connected with said pin.

7. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage movable parallel with said bed plate, a plurality of rock shafts journaled upon said carriage, writing members carried by said rock shafts, rock arms projecting from said rock shafts, a controlling bar engaging said ro'ck arms, an armature lever connected with said controlling bar, an electro-magnet, and a monitor device including electric contacts controlling the operation of said electro-magnet, and an electric circuit including said eleetro-magnet and contacts.

8. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage movable parallel with the bed plate, means insulating the carriage from the bed plate, an electro-magnet mounted upon the carriage and having one of its terminals electrically connected with the carriage and its other terminal insulated from the carriage, a plurality of writing members mounted upon the carriage and movable up and down With relation to the bed plate, a monitor device including normally separated electrical contacts in circuit with the electro-magnet, and means operated by the electromagnet for movingthe writing members into and out of operative position.

9. A multiple writing device comprising a suitable bed plate, a carriage movable above the bed plate, bearing plates of insulating material upon which the carriage is supported, a plurality of writing members mounted upon the carriage, an electro-magnet operatively connected with the writing members and having one of its terminals electrically connected with the carriage and its other terminal insulated from the carriage, and a monitor controlling de vice including two electrical contacts electrically connected respectively with the terminals of the electromagnet 10. In a multiple writing machine, the combination of a suitable bed plate, a carriage movable parallel with the bed plate, a plurality of wilting devices mounted upon the carriage, an electro-magnet, an armature therefor operatively connected with the writing devices, a monitor controlling device secured to the carriage and including a Vertically movable pin carrying a contact having" electrical connection with one terminal of the electro-rnag'net, and a second contact insulated from the carriage and electrically connected with the other terminal of the electro-niagnet.

JOHN S. BRAND.

Witnesses Josnrn J.'Sc1n11ntr, WM. E. KNIGHT. 

